The new cultivar was discovered as a chance, whole plant mutation in a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand. The inventor, Magaly Zaias, a citizen of the United States, discovered the new variety as a whole plant mutation among several plants of the unpatented commercial variety, Polyscias balfouriana. The new variety was discovered in April 2007 by the inventor.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘ARA8001’ by vegetative cuttings was performed at a commercial nursery in Bangkok Thailand in early 2008. Since that time, many generations have been reproduced, and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type through successive generations.